Is that ELLEN?

Thanksgivng day

Holidays...

Those should be a happy time but for us Christmas brings up memories of Emma's first MRI and diagnosis. Even if I am happy, even if we are home and not inpatient I struggle emotionally.

Before we left for Thanksgiving Brad and I took our youngest out for a muffin while her sisters went to school and the packing of the car commenced (5 people and luggage in a tiny hatchback is a little bit like a real life game of Tetrus). My phone buzzed mid coffee sip and I see that Through Emma's Eye has a message on Facebook. The message had a link to Ellen Nation and a note that we were featured on the page. I honestly did not know what to make of it, part of me became very excited about meeting Ellen since I have watched her on TV since I was a kid and she was still in the closet. The other part of me asked, Is that Ellen? The real Ellen, not a fan page or a fake page but the real Ellen?

Over the last couple days I have watched votes roll in and I get more and more excited at the idea that Emma might get to meet Ellen. In the background I still hear the voice in my head reminding me that things like this do not really happen to us. Although we have experienced an amazing Make a Wish trip to Aulani and an outpouring of love from all of you as fans we are not the type of family to "go viral" or gain the attention of a celebrity as awesome as Ellen. No, we are more the type of family who has the car stolen out of the driveway leaving even the local news reporters shaking their heads at how stuff like that could happen to a cancer fighting family. No, we are "that" family. The family that barely makes all the ducks stay in a row and gains the respect of onlookers that we have not going completely bonkers by now with all the craziness.

I jokingly said to my best friend that I would pee my pants if I got to meet Ellen, it would be amazing and I hope it happens (the meeting, not the public embarrassment) because if cancer has taught me anything it is to always have hope. However, I know it is likely that life will continue as normal and that means the holidays are here and the holidays are hard for me.

At Christmas I grieve the past and the Christmas Eve that changed my life forever so each Christmas Emma and I give back to the hospital to distract my broken heart. The first year we brought just presents from our girls as donations to the children's hosptial. The next year we asked friends and family to join us, the next year we reached out to the community and rolled up with several wagons full of toys making the Social Workers at Lucille Packard drop their jaws in awe. This year we plan to go BIG. Emma and I dropped off donations boxes at Central Valley Play & Grow off Roseburg in Modesto. We got their school to coordinate with us and placed a donation box in each classroom. We had an amazing local business reach out to us and ask if they could gather toys as well. My goal this year is to have so many blessings that it cannot fit in my car on one trip. I want to flood that hospital and see these amazing fighters smile. I want to see that sigh of relief in the fellow Momcologist's face that her baby is happy for even one minute. I selfishly want to mend my own broken heart with helping others.

How can you help? If you are local then you can pop by one of the two locations I mentioned and drop off your toys. If you are not local you can email us for an address then online shop for toys and have them mailed to us to deliver (great idea for those of you who Cyber Monday shop). Lastly you can donate to our Paypal and Emma and I will go on a shopping trip to buy things that the hospital specifically asked for (lego sets, crayloa art supplies, and playdough) then we will share pictures of us shopping for you on her page. I will post all the information below along with a flyer you can download and share to get the word out.

Email us at throughemmaseye@gmail.com
Paypal donate to Paypal.me/throughemmaseye and put "toy drive" in the comments